Welcome to the DEPENd Lab at Penn State University

Our research focuses on the development of neurobehavioral systems underlying personality and individual differences. In particular, we are interested in how the maturation of emotion regulation and behavioral inhibition in adolescence and young adulthood supports self-regulation and social functioning. The human brain changes rapidly in adolescence, potentially facilitating the integration of social information, emotions, and long-term goals. Yet for teens whose emotions are especially reactive and intense, adolescence may be a period of risk for volatile relationships and impulsive behaviors that are harmful. Our lab seeks to understand personality, brain, and behavioral differences between individuals who experience intense, unstable emotions and relationships relative to those with greater self-regulation.